Me, Myself And Wy
by Eva Haley
Summary: Set 25 years in the future, based on the events of Forever Charmed. INCOMPLETE - REBOOT planned.
1. Just Thinking

**Piper + Leo:**

Wyatt Matthew Halliwell - 27

Christopher Perry Halliwell - 25

Melinda Prudence Halliwell - 22

**Phoebe + Coop:**

Laura Halliwell - 23

Charlotte Halliwell - 22

Prudence Halliwell - 20

**Paige + Henry**

Henry Matthews - 23

Helena Matthews - 21

Grace Matthews - 21

This is set 25 years in the future, based on the events of "Forever Charmed". Enjoy and review if you will.

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"Ow, damnit!" Melinda cursed furiously as she accidentally brushed her hand against the frying pan that she happened to be using for cooking. Oddly enough, she more often than not would catch her hand on this very frying pan. _It's jinxed_, she thought to herself, a slight smile playing at the edges of her lips, knowing that considering who she was it could be true. _This is a kitchen for crying out loud, Mel,_ she thought. _Get a hold of yourself._

"Melinda!" Her mother's "get-your-rear-end-here-now" voice came from outside the kitchen. Quickly, Melinda turned the gas off under the frying pan, and left the other chefs in the kitchen, walking through the fly-prevention door hanger to see her mother on the otherside waiting for her, a smile on her face as she held the phone against her shoulder for a moment.

"It's Wyatt," Piper mouthed, handing the phone to her, a certain pride about her as she wiggled her nose and smiled.

"Wy?" Melinda spoke into the phone, waiting anxiously. He had gone for an interview earlier that day, entailing his job as a youth worker. "Did you get it?"

"Well..." came the reply from the other end. "See the interview..." he put on his depressed voice for a moment, and Melinda held her breath despite her mother's expression, but was relieved when he yelled down the phone so loudly a moment later that she had to hold the phone at arm's length.

"I GOT THE PROMOTION!" He yelled ecstatically. Piper laughed as she walked by, overhearing and smiling at her daughter.

"That's awesome Wy," she beamed, hearing the smile in his voice. "What does that make you then? The most senior youth worker in north San Francisco?"

"Mel, you remembered," he laughed, touched. "You, me, dad, mom and Chris are going out for a meal tonight to celebrate... you can make it right?"

Melinda thought for a moment. "Yeah, definitley".

"Awesome," he laughed in his happiness again. "I'll see you later then... Love you,".

"I love you too Wy," she smiled and hung up, walking back into the kitchen, where her mother stood waiting.

"I think we can finish early here," Piper smiled, having already hung up her apron and was putting her jacket on.

"Cool, thanks mom," Melinda smiled, letting her long chocolate brown hair out of it's ponytail and removing her apron. "I'm gonna need some retail therapy first though..."

"I certainly agree," Piper smiled, and quickly turned to one of the chefs. "Right, Jerry, you're in charge,".

He nodded in reply and continued cooking.

"Let's go then," Melinda smiled a free and happy smile that as Piper linked arms with her and left the restaurant that she owned, made her think back to a time when she never thought she'd have a daughter.

She'd journeyed to the future, several years before any of her kids came along, as part of a spell that was intended to stop a dogwalker allowing his dog to do it's business on their drive. In that future, she and Leo were divorced, and Melinda was seemingly their only child. Everything about her was what Piper had always wanted. Suddenly, a thought struck Piper but she brushed it off again. Melinda was seemingly their only child in that future... perhaps Piper was in that future that she visited... But then she remembered she couldn't be. Phoebe hadn't killed anyone and Prue wasn't here.

Piper sighed lost in thought... _what might have been..._

"What's the sigh all about?" Melinda asked as they came upto the car.

"Nothing..." Piper replied, getting in the car. "Just thinking".


	2. Sibling Therapy

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Charmed, nor do I own any of the characters, just a fan with a passion for writing etc etc. I decided after much debating with other Charmed fans that neither Chris nor Henry would have witch powers. In season 1, Andy asked Prue if any of her children would be witches and she stated only the girls, so I decided to go with that. It was never specifically stated that Chris or Wyatt had witch powers and it's mostly agreed that Wyatt has some serious power is because of the prophecy etc. :-D

**Chapter 2 - Sibling Therapy**

The restaurant Wyatt had chosen was particularly quiet that evening. The round tables were set like works of art, candles creating a glow that contrasted almost eerily to the storm outside. The waiters seemed bored enough to be stood around, idly gossiping, not noticing Wyatt who sat in the entrance hall , flicking through a menu. It was an expensive restaurant. But it was worth it, Wyatt decided. It wasn't exactly often that he'd receive a promotion, nor was it often you could hold down a job, let alone receive a promotion if you were a Halliwell. And Wyatt was definitely a Halliwell.

Despite the tall, yet stocky build, the face shape, and the nose, he was a Halliwell. He and his aunt Phoebe had the same eyes and his smile was the same as his grandmother, Patty's. He had an easygoing temperament, very much like Patty also. Well, it certainly wasn't his mother's.

Wyatt ran a hand through his hair subconsciously and wrapped a little of his fringe around his finger. He had decided to grow it a little longer recently after a potion he was working on had gone wrong. Needless to say, he'd worn a hat for quite a while. Chris and Melinda had found it quite amusing that he only had half an eyebrow on one side. He was glad it had grown back so quick.

Suddenly, Wyatt felt an urge to look up and as he did so, the door opened and in came a rather soaked Chris, beaming, but soaked.

"Hey," Chris grinned, wiping his brow of water. Wyatt stood up to embrace him, but Chris ducked under his arm. "Two minutes... won't be long..." Chris said quickly and Wyatt watched him run to the bathroom, the waiter's gazes frowning upon the wet footprints he had now left on their immaculate floor.

His brother was a man of mystery. A little more reserved than himself or Melinda, but no less powerful when faced with demons. He was tall and skinny and everything about him screamed Halliwell except for his eyes and his powers. His eyes were their father's, through and through. Wyatt found himself looking at these eyes, a few moments later when his father arrived.

"Hey dad," Wyatt grinned, as Leo pulled him into a hug.

"Congrats, Wyatt," Leo grinned as he stood back, a fatherly proud sortof smile spreading over his face as he surveyed his eldest. "When did you find out?"

"The other day... I'm flying to San Diego in a few weeks for this huge presentation event. Every senior youth worker in California's going to be there, including me," Wyatt replied, smiling a smug smile at how proud his father was.

"That's great!" Leo smiled, before glancing around the empty restaurant. "Is Chris here? I thought I saw his car parked outside".

"He just went to -" Wyatt was interrupted as Chris suddenly appeared to his left.

"Hawaii," Chris interjected, now dryer than before. "The warm weather can be useful."

Leo frowned at him. "Personal gain, Chris?"

"I orbed. That's not my witch side," Chris explained.

"It's still-" Leo began but was cut off.

"What about all those times you used to orb up to the bridge when Wyatt and I were little? And that's not personal gain?" Chris said defensively, but even Wyatt picked up the bitter tone underlying Chris's voice.

"That was-" Leo was now cut off by Wyatt.

"Hey, Mom and Melinda are here..." The elder brother said, picking an opportune moment to defuse the situation.

Moments later, the door opened and Piper and Melinda walked in, Piper shaking off an umbrella while Melinda launched herself at Wyatt in a tight embrace.

"Congrats, Wy!" She laughed, and Wyatt wrapped his arms around his sister tightly.

"Thanks, Mel," he grinned. "Now that we're all here, I'm going to have to admit that I'm starving."

"I agree with you there," Leo smiled as a waiter walked over. "Of course it's not your mother's cooking, but oh well".

Piper smiled as Leo put his arm over her shoulder and followed the waiter to a table with Melinda. Chris glared angrily at his father's back as he followed and Wyatt gave him a warning look. His brother's behaviour was certainly out of character.

"Chris. You and me, talk later." Wyatt muttered under his breath.

Chris just gave him a "whatever" look as they sat down around a table, Wyatt making sure he sat between his father and his brother.

The meal itself was uneventful aside Leo and Piper asking questions on the kids Wyatt worked with, how work at P3 was for Chris and Melinda's award for "Best Chef In SF Bay". After they'd finished and were all heading to the door, Piper turned to Wyatt.

"Congrats again, Wyatt." She smiled hugging him. "I'm very proud of you." Melinda couldn't help but giggle at the height difference.

"Thanks, mom," Wyatt beamed. Leo patted his son on the shoulder with pride also, before stretching and looking at his watch.

"I've got to shoot off to magic school. Eric's ill and can't check that the boarding students are sleeping," Leo said, adjusting his coat.

"Professor O'Riley is _still_ there?" Wyatt asked, in shock. Eric O'Riley had taught him how to master his pyrokinesis, something his parents hadn't been able to help him with, having had no experience themselves. He could still remember setting the couch on fire by mistake as a teenager... oops. Leo had blamed Chris. Well, Chris did smoke at the time and had a habit of putting the lighter in his back pocket. He'd ruined so many pairs of trousers that way...

Leo nodded. "Yeah... though he'll retire next year at the age of 143... not bad for a Leprechaun."

"Do you want a lift?" Wyatt asked, putting his jacket on casually.

"That would be great..." Leo followed Wyatt to the bathroom and only Chris and Melinda really noticed the slight flicker of lights that let them know they'd gone.

"Anyway, home, I think... It's been a long day," Piper yawned a little. "Do you want a lift to Bianca's, Chris? I think you had a unit or two over the limit."

"Um... actually, I was hoping I could come home tonight," Chris shifted uncomfortably as he was met by the same confused and taken aback gaze from his mother and sister.

"Why? What's happened?" Piper looked at her son, concerned.

"I don't want really want to talk about it," Chris averted his eyes from his mother's, only to find his sister's dark eyes reading him. "Can we stop by P3 and get my stuff?"

Piper nodded, and led Chris and Melinda out of the restaurant door.

--

Chris sat on his old bed, exhausted, taking in the feel of his and Wyatt's old room, a slight smile at how little it had really changed. The furniture still the same, the wallpaper... the only thing that struck Chris as different were the numerous photos. Their graduation days... Wyatt, himself and Mel all under 10... _that__ was a bad haircut, _Chris cringed slightly at the picture, before moving his eyes to the next. Himself and Wyatt in the yard as kids, playing warlocks and demons, Melinda following them around, trying to play too.

Chris moved closer to this picture. Melinda must've been about three and adored her brothers. That day had been when she first showed signs of powers. Wyatt was running downstairs with Chris playing hide and seek, both of them competing for their favourite hiding places. Wyatt beat him to the cupboard under the sink, so Chris had crawled into the gap between the washing machine and the tumble dryer. Chris heard Melinda shout with glee from the top of the stairs, the sign that she was coming to look for them, when Chris had something very heavy fall on him. The heavy thing then started crying and Chris realised it was Melinda.

There was a shriek from the top of the stairs when Piper found Melinda lying down, unconscious and an even louder shriek when Mel left the very squashed Chris between the washing machine and the tumble dryer and ran up stairs to Piper. It made Chris smile just thinking about it. Astral projection at 3... It was no wonder Chris felt a little inferior. Wyatt had his twice-blessed powers in the womb, Mel mastered astral projection at 3 and Chris… Chris was just a Whitelighter. A half Whitelighter.

Witch geneaology worked in strange ways. Male witches were only produced if the father was a witch or carried the witch gene and the mother was a witch. So, Chris was just a half-Whitelighter and Wyatt was the result of a long standing prophecy and thus had numerous powers that couldn't really be explained _as well_ as his Whitelighter abilities. Fortunately for Chris, his cousin Henry was the same and he hadn't been totally isolated growing up as the only one without witch powers. The two of them had trained and had friendly competitions to build on the Whitelighter telekinesis they had.

There was a picture of Mel on Leo's shoulders, Leo giving Wyatt a piggy back... and Chris and Piper. Chris loved this photo; he had a copy framed by his bed at his and Bianca's flat at P3, which was now stashed in his rucksack. He remembered when it was taken. Wyatt had just started magic school, Leo was teaching there and Melinda was still young enough to have afternoon naps. Piper had baked cookies with Chris. It had been so much fun, just him and Mom. Chris had gotten pretty messy... there was a little flour on his cheek in the photo... his mom smiling as she hugged him. Just him and his mom. Just him and... He missed being a kid.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Chris half-sighed, planting himself back down on the edge of the bed. The door creaked slightly, and in pyjamas and a night robe walked his sister, a steaming mug of herbal tea in each hand.

"Hey," Melinda smiled and stood idly for a moment. "Thought you might want a little sibling therapy..."

Chris raised an eyebrow and she laughed, before he gestured for her to sit with him. Even as she sat down and handed him the mug, she had a feeling this was going to be a long conversation, and she wasn't even an empath.

"Thanks," he said calmly, accepting the mug and both of them proceeded to sit cross-legged opposite each other on the double-bed.

There was an awkward silence as the two of them stared into the mugs, before Melinda spoke.

"So... home again?" She said, catching his eyes and making him smile.

"Yeah," Chris replied, wrapping a loose strand of fabric from the old blanket around his finger. Melinda could see right through him and he knew it.

"What happened? I'm guessing you've been kicked out, as opposed to leaving," Melinda studied him as he looked up at her, his blue eyes seemed bluer than normal. He nodded.

"I guess you could say that. How'd you figure that I got kicked out instead of leaving?" He asked, sipping some of the herbal tea.

"Because when you love, you hold on tight," Mel explained simply.

Chris didn't say anything. His sister knew him too well.

"So, why have you been kicked out?" She now stood up and put her mug on the bedside table, giving Chris time to think before she sat back down.

"You know Bianca is a Phoenix," Chris lowered his voice, just in case his parents were listening in. He wasn't sure he wanted them to know about Bianca's heritage just yet.

Melinda nodded. "Did her family find out about who you are?"

"It's not that, Mel. They've known for a while... it's just... um..." Chris was searching for the words, before he stood up and began pacing in frustration. Melinda gently took him by the forearms and led him back onto the bed.

"What is it? You know I won't tell mom or dad," she said, as gently as possible, now not too sure if she wanted to hear what Chris was about to tell her.

He breathed out slowly. "Bianca's pregnant".

Melinda looked at him for a moment. "What?!... How?". She hadn't meant to fly off the handle quite so much, or so loudly and clasped her hand to her mouth in fear their parents had heard.

"What do you mean how? How do you think?!" Chris snapped, but turned away apologetically after.

"Ok, stupid question. How long have you known?" Mel took his hands in her own, something that somehow always managed to calm Chris.

"A couple of weeks," Chris sighed. "I sensed it pretty more or less the day after... y'know..." Melinda nodded quickly in response to this to avoid awkwardness.

Chris stood up again and walked to the window, folding his arms and gazing out over the neighbourhood. "A sickness bug doesn't usually last that long so she took a test this morning. The sofa is now in ruins... turns out the baby has inherited it's grandmother's destructive power. Bianca channelled it."

"Oh, Chris," Melinda said sympathetically, standing up and wrapping her arms around her brother. "And then you argued?"

Chris nodded and looked appreciatively at his sister. "Mom and dad'll probably want to know why I'm here... I'm trying to think of an excuse."

"We'll come up with something... we always do." Melinda beamed at him hopefully. "Do you remember that time when you hid the mirrors and convinced me a demon had stolen my nose?"

A smile tweaked the corners of Chris's mouth. "Yeah... and Wyatt orbed to China and got a fortune cookie and told you that it was your nose...".

They laughed for a moment, before Melinda hugged him tightly. "I'll let you get some sleep. Talk in the morning?"

Chris nodded. "Sure".

As Melinda left and was about to close the door, she turned back to her brother who was still staring out the window at the dark skies.

"Chris?" she said quietly.

"Hmm?" He turned around.

"Love you," Mel looked at him knowingly.

"Love you too, Mel," Chris smiled for a minute, before turning back to the window. Melinda hesitated for a moment and closed the door.


	3. A Day In The Life

**Chapter 3 - A Day In The Life**

Leo awoke the next morning with a jolt. After a few seconds of lying on the floor by his bed, he pulled himself to his feet, feeling rather peculiar. It felt like he had been dreaming, but about what he could not be sure. He usually dreamt peaceful, pleasant dreams but this didn't feel pleasant at all. He looked at the clock out of curiousity. Five in the morning? There was no point in even trying to go back to sleep. Once Leo was awake, he was wide awake.

Quietly, so not to wake Piper, he took his dressing gown from the back of the door and pulled it over himself uneasily. With a few moments glance at his wife, who slept on peacefully, he smiled and quietly left the room, walking down the hallway to his daughters' room. Carefully, he opened the door and peeered in. He smiled again. Melinda lay with her head hanging off the bed, snoring at a volume that should probably have woken everyone in the Bay area. With a silent chuckle, he closed the door, failing to notice the figure standing behind him. It was only when he turned and trod on the figure's foot that he became aware of it's presence.

"Argh!" Leo let out a cry of shock and Chris yelled an expletive. Both of them instantly covered their mouths, listening for Piper or Mel's footsteps.

After a few moments and no footsteps, Chris relaxed. "What are you doing up so early?" he whispered, while stretching, becoming considerably taller than Leo.

"Just couldn't sleep," Leo lied somewhat. It would've been somewhat embarrassing to admit to his twenty-five year old son that he was having nightmares. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

Chris' memory of the past few weeks was jogged and he recalled why he'd returned to his parents house. "I...err..." he stood awkwardly for a moment. "It's too early... maybe later dad?"

Leo turned this over in his mind for a moment. "Ok." He didn't feel like arguing for the moment. "I was going to go downstairs and get some breakfast... coming?".

Chris nodded, stretching yet again before following Leo downstairs.

--

The young woman sat on the stone bench alone. Unable to sleep, her mind very much riddled with thought, she'd left her apartment in the hopes of finding some form of peace. Evidently, she would find none. Not even here at _their_ place. The first of her attackers were simple, low-level energy-ball throwing demons and while they had been easy enough to vanquish, she had received a few grazes. Those that had followed them had somewhat more bite.

She now hid behind one of the pillars, waiting for an oppurtune moment in which to take down the one who was becoming ever closer. She inhaled before leaping out and launching a fire ball that would have made her mother proud. Bianca smiled with triumph for a moment as the demon exploded in such a way that she was sure he had been filled with gunpowder and turned to the other one, who stood frozen in fear of the phoenix.

"Who sent you?!" she demanded, forming a fire ball in her hand, a threat the demon at first seemed to take seriously.

"Someone who wants you dead," he smirked and sent an athame smoothly through the air. For a split second everything seemed to be in slow motion, and Bianca found herself thinking about Chris... that honest smile that always made her feel safe, his warm arms, his eyes, the smell of smoke and alcohol after he'd worked a long evening at P3... and their baby. A tear fell from Bianca's eye and as it did so, she looked straight at the athame. This was it. This was the end. If this was the end, then why had several more tears fallen since and the athame was still between her and the demon? Cautiously, she side-stepped and found herself looking at the situation from a whole new angle. An angle where she would not face an agonising death. Time was frozen for the demon and the world was silent. Bianca looked up and saw a helicopter, frozen in mid-air.

Temporal stasis was not one of Bianca's powers, and nervously looked down at her stomach. _Was this you?_ she asked the tiny life inside her silently, and as if in response, the world around her that had become a vacuum of silence erupted with noise, and the athame hit a nearby a tree with a sharp thunk. The demon stared at her in disbelief and for a moment, both seemed too shocked to move.

"Die!" the demon roared at her angrily, conjuring and launching another athame. This one, she was not as prepared for, and images of Chris flashed in her mind. _I love you, Chris, _she thought, despair enveloping her. She'd never see him again.

There was a loud _phut_ like popcorn exploding and the athame turned into a flower which drifted to the ground. The demon stared at it in shock and looked at Bianca who stared angrily back, a fire ball warming the palm of her hand. Before she could do anything, the demon shimmered, and she was alone.

With a quick glance around, searching for any others who would wish to do her harm, she made her way back to the bench, stumbling a little on a sprained ankle before sitting down and sighing heavily. She looked down at her stomach once more.

"What kind of power was that?" she asked quietly, before running a hand over a deep graze on her shoulder.

"A cupid power," a voice said from somewhere to Bianca's left, causing her to almost jump out of her skin. A pinkish light followed by the appearance of Coop, Phoebe's husband leaning against one of the nearby trees,

"Dammit, Coop, you almost gave me a heart attack," Bianca said half angrily.

"Sorry about that," he said awkwardly. "Anyway... what are you doing here so early? It's what..." he glanced at his watch; "Eight in the morning,".

"It doesn't matter. Why are you here?" she eased up a little, and stood up, wrapping her coat around her tightly. San Francisco was considerably cold at 8am.

"Cupid duties," Coop smiled simply. "There was a real surge of love and yet fear at the same time from this end of town, so I figured I'd check what was going on,".

Bianca looked at him for a moment. "I thought you were a cupid, not a Whitelighter,".

He laughed, running a hand through his hair, a white-grey streak contrasting with his dark hair. "Well, living with the Halliwells for the past twenty or so years... I do what I can,".

"I'm glad you did... thanks for the flower trick," Bianca smiled appreciatively, looking over at the daisy that now lay on the ground instead of the athame.

"No worries," he grinned, before his face fell.

Bianca studied his face for a minute, confused. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"One of my charge-couples in Germany are having a pretty big argument..." Coop explained, his eyes glazed as though he was somewhere else.

"You should go," Bianca told him.

"I know," Coop looked at her again for a moment. "Are you ok? I can pulse you home if you want. I think Laura will be at Piper and Leo's this afternoon, studying the Book. I'm sure she'd help you find out the demons who attacked you,".

"I'm ok, you should go. I'll probably head over to the manor at some point today," Bianca told him.

"Are you sure?" he asked gently.

"Yes, I'm sure. Thanks, Coop," she smiled, walking back over to the bench to sit down again.

"Ok... I'll see you later..." he smiled again before pulsing away in the same pink light. Bianca stared at where he had been, lost in her own thoughts again.

--

Wyatt hauled himself out of bed lazily, rubbing his eyes, the sunlight stinging at first, but becoming a warm touch against his skin as he walked to his patio doors. Or rather into them.

With a thump, Wyatt staggered backward, his eyes watering a little from the pain, and looked around. A gut reaction when you had siblings who would find such a thing amusing. He suddenly felt grateful that he lived alone and therefore no longer had his siblings to laugh at him when he did something clumsy. Not so much now, but when he was younger, Wyatt was very clumsy. He grew quickly in adolescence and was unable to keep his co-ordination up to speed with his bodysize. In the space of a year he had gone from being shorter than his father to half a foot taller.

Regaining his composure, he opened the patio door this time and stepped out onto the balcony, the cold concrete at his feet making him wish he had socks on. The day itself was chilly, but the sun at least brightened things up a little, it's glow warming Wyatt's skin. He leant with his hands against the railing idly for a moment, surveying the bay, before heading back indoors.

After a quick shower and pulling on some clothes, Wyatt left his apartment with two suitcases, running down the twenty odd flights of stairs that separated his floor from the ground. He was glad that being a youth worker meant plenty of time off and casual clothes. Running down twenty flights of stairs in a suit would have been an interesting experience otherwise.

Minutes later after crossing the car park (avoiding the sprinklers that watered the grass banks) he clambered into his car, placing his suitcase on the backseat and started the ignition. It was a reliable car, and many of his friends were jealous, after all, 1999 Jeep Cherokees were hard to find. Usually, he'd listen to the radio, drum his fingers on the steering wheel and occasionally sing along (even if he couldn't keep a tune too fantastically) as it had a vintage stereo and now-antique tape-player.

Wyatt was headed to the presentation, in San Diego, deciding to take a few weeks off prior to the event and spend time there. Apparently, it was smart-dress, so he'd packed what he called smart along with a few other things and left it at that.

The journey was uneventful and he made it well out of San Francisco, past Half Moon Bay and into the more southern parts of California. Uneventful, at least until the engine cut-out. He stared at the bonnet for a minute, turning the engine in frustration, car horns behind him amounting into a roar. After a few attempts he gave up and got out, releasing the handbrake and steering the car off the road. Once there, he lifted the bonnet up.

"Ah." Wyatt said to himself in defeat. He loved this car, but he didn't know a thing about repairing it. Fortunately, he knew someone who did.

--

Melinda came downstairs, fully-dressed a few hours later. She loved Mondays, in that her shift didn't start until three, so it meant that she got a lie-in. Shuffling into the living room, she found Leo pouring over a book anxiously. He didn't seem to notice her for a minute.

"Hey dad," she half-smiled, half-yawned. Leo spun around, his teacher's robes twirling magnificently.

"Mel," he grinned, as though shaken by her presence.

"Little jumpy today?" she laughed. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be teaching the telekinesis students?"

Leo nodded. "I am," he said, flustered. "Jake accidentally telekinetically took Danny's arm off, so I'm just trying to find how to fix it."

"Sounds nasty," Mel cringed a little at the thought of an arm severed from it's body, before deciding to change the subject. "Have you seen Chris?"

"He's gone to P3... had to be there early to set things up for a band that's playing tonight," Leo replied. Somehow, Melinda didn't believe the excuse Chris had given Leo.

"What about mom?"

"Grocery shopping... she mentioned that you don't need to be at the restaurant until about five tonight... over-staffed or something," Leo closed the book, seemingly finding something of relevance. "Anyway... I should be getting back... Professor Franklin is considerably squeamish,".

Melinda laughed. "See you later, dad."

"See you later," Leo smiled, and before he opened the door, he turned back. "And, before I forget, Laura's coming over at some point to use the Book,".

As Leo finished the sentence, there was a knock at the door. "That'll be Lau..." Mel smiled, waving goodbye to her father before heading to the door. With a click, she opened the door, and indeed there stood Laura Halliwell. The dark hair and dark eyes were unavoidable, as both her parents, Phoebe and Coop shared these characteristics.

"Hey, you," Laura laughed pulling Mel into a hug. "How are you?"

"Not too bad," Mel replied, trying to shake off the thoughts of Chris for a minute. "You?"

"Tired, hence I have brought coffee," Laura handed Mel a cup of an upmarket coffee chain's coffee.

"Lau, you are a star," Melinda accepted it gratefully and the two linked arms as they walked upstairs. "So, what do you need the Book for?"

"Well," Laura began, as they reached the landing and entered the attic. "Over at the observatory, some of the senior astrophysicists were talking about something that caught my attention -"

"AKA, you were eavesdropping?" Melinda asked, a smug knowing smile playing on her features, reinforced by her blue-grey eyes. Laura was an assistant at one of the observatories on the other side of town, having chosen a scientific career. Science was Laura's area, something she and their grandfather, Victor, had in common. This was evident, as she took the book from it's stand and sat on the old sofa next to Melinda, her eyes scanning the pages for a moment.

"If you want to call it that," Laura giggled, removing her glasses. She only needed them for using the observatory computers and often left them on, leaving her with headaches. "They've found an anomaly on some of the weather charts."

"What kind of anomaly? Like the freak weather we had three years ago?" Melinda questioned, getting the distinct impression this was going to wind up magical.

"I wish," Laura muttered, continuing to look through page after page of the book. "See, I looked at some of the charts they left lying around and-"

"That you went looking for?" Melinda smiled again and Laura nodded.

"If I didn't have mom's inquisitive nature, I wouldn't be of much use at the observatory," Laura replied, simply and Melinda laughed.

"True, I guess".

"Well, the charts. The anomaly was just a blob of colour on them, above part of this area. The others talked about it and couldn't see it on any other charts, so dismissed it as a printing error," Laura explained. Melinda nodded to show she was following. "The thing is, they didn't check the charts that are closer on this area, more specifically... this house".

Laura finished, standing up and inhaling. Melinda stood up after her, studying the now very worried and deep in thought Laura.

"Hey... maybe it's always been there, just that it's not been noticed by the scientists," Melinda suggested.

"It would definitely have been picked up... it's come up a few times before. They've put it down to equipment being broken and such but the dates..." Laura trailed off.

"What about the dates?" Melinda asked, a dazed, yet pained look now on Laura's face. "Lau?"

"Someone's... scared?" Laura said, staring at the door, before turning to Melinda. "Duck!"

"Huh?" Melinda looked at Laura. Had her cousin lost it?

Seconds later, there was a shriek from outside and Bianca ran in through the attic door, just as the door itself was blown off it's hinges, narrowly missing Melinda. The demon itself stepped into the room, each step causing dust to fall from the roof and furniture to rattle along the floor. Bianca dived behind the sofa as the bull-like demon moved towards Melinda and Laura, it's nostrils flaring wildly.

Laura glued to the floor for a minute by fear was dragged out of it by Melinda pulling her to the back of the room, waving a hand at it to freeze it. For a moment, it seemed to, but in that twisted way, it slowly sped up, angrier than ever. Melinda waved her hands to try and shatter it's very existence. Focusing on it has millions of seperate cells as opposed to one big thing, she pulled it apart in her mind, and usually it would transmit, but this time it just seemed to tickle it's back as it picked up a large box with no effort, and flung it wildly at the girls. Luckily, Laura was on the ball this time and pulled Melinda out of the way, to behind the sofa where Bianca was.

"Hey, fancing seeing you here," Melinda said somewhat sarcastically as she crouched next to Bianca.

"Yeah, you too... how's life? Demons on your tail?" Bianca continued their sarcastic conversation.

"You could say-" Laura suddenly placed a hand over Melinda's mouth, muffling her last words. The room was eerily silent. Slowly, Bianca and Laura who were on either side of Melinda, turned to look at Melinda. The tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife.

"What? I was just trying to make light of-" Before Melinda could finish, there was a roar, like a bear's but far more guteral, and too close for comfort. Bianca swore before jumping to her feet and launching an athame at the beast.

The blade itself embedded itself in the target's chest with a short sharp thud. Bianca stared at it, waiting for it to disappear in a ball of flames. This it did not do. It grunted, before picking up a crate of old unused items, and roared spectacularly as it launched it at Bianca. She had no time to react and wide-eyed, the crate knocked her off her feet and she landed in a heap a few feet away from Melinda and Laura, evidently unconscious.

Melinda scarpered over to Bianca, checking for a pulse, before looking up at the beast and then to Laura, who had slowly stood up and was staring it in the eye.

"Lau, what are you doing?" Melinda said slowly, concerned for her elder cousin.

"Full of hate," Laura said after a moment, her eyes not leaving the demon's.

"We gathered that already," Melinda muttered sarcastically, putting Bianca in the recovery position gently.

The demon's were locked on Laura's and after a moment, it howled earsplittingly in pain, falling to it's knees. Melinda looked at Laura, confused.

"Empathy used offensively, Mel," Laura explained, a smile on her face as she turned to Melinda. "I just had to make it feel the loss of it's mother,".

Melinda nodded. "Cruel, but effective." She called over the noise of the demon crying.

Laura now joined her, and looked at Bianca. "We should probably call for one of the guys. It won't last long,". The demon was already starting to quieten from it's wailing.

Melinda looked at it nervously. "Not Chris... and Wyatt's at a presentation a few hundred miles away..."

They caught eachother's eye before yelling in unison.

"Henry!"

* * *

**Note:** Sorry about the wait folks... I've been really busy with my college course, but I hope you're enjoying it so far. I've been meaning to do a fic for so long, it's unreal. If there's something you don't understand, or anything else that you'd like explaining, just message. I'm getting quite lost with it already myself I altered some of the ages of the Charmed One's kids (I don't think any Charmed fan liked the way Brad Kern took the show in the end...) and tried to keep it as within the boundaries and didn't name the kids any ridiculous cheesy names like Madison, Jamie and all those other names that make the characters harder to believe in. I chose instead to look at the Halliwell family tree and picked names from that that seemed to fit the idea I had of how each of the Charmed One's kids were. Anyway... fourth chapter should be up in the next week, probably less... 

Thankyou for all of your reviews so far, and I will try and get the chapters coming a bit faster! Many thanks to Ligia Elena, MelindaHalliwellWyatt, ash-rox, Melissa Jooty, Embry, charmedbaby11, Kitty-Witty-Kate, Melinda Prue Halliwell, Mediatorsk, RBDFAN, Sunny38, StargateAngel101, -0-charmed-freak-0- and Long-Live-Christopher!


	4. Reassurance

**Chapter 4 - Reassurance**

Chris sat atop the Golden Gate Bridge, cross-legged, chin resting on his hands, drowning in the waves of his own thought. There was a steady, soft pounding in his ears that he'd heard a few times over the past few weeks. He sighed, knowing that he should get it checked out, but really couldn't be bothered to do anything about it at this point in time.

The skies were clear, and the sun beat down, spreading warmth that somehow didn't make Chris feel any better. He had managed to get one of the staff to cover for him at P3, telling him he had the flu. The truth felt worse. Bianca was pregnant and angry about it, Chris didn't know what magical consequences would come from her being of the Phoenix coven, his parents didn't even know Bianca was a Phoenix and he was certain they wouldn't approve. It was almost a Capulet/Montague situation. Except Halliwell/Phoenix. Of course, Bianca had taken a more mortal surname when she met Chris and was influenced to leave the Phoenix guise behind. It was her mortal father's surname. Rowe. Bianca Rowe. She didn't know much about him except that he was part warlock and had given his powers up for the greater good.

Chris looked at the smart band of gold on the third finger of his left hand, tracing a finger over it idly, smiling as he recalled the night he proposed at _their_ place. It had been perfect. He'd orbed them their one evening, a nervous wreck as he sat down with Bianca on one of the benches. He had to stand up and pace around a few times to find the words to say what he wanted.

_"Bianca, I-" he had stuttered aimlessly, rolling the box around in his pocket nervously as he walked. Bianca looked at him, worried._

_"Chris, what is it?" She looked at him, as he paced. "You know what, sit down. You're making me dizzy"._

_He did so, and inhaled sharply. "See err... I've been thinking long and hard and, I have something to ask you,"._

_Bianca's face fell. "If this is about my Phoenix heritage, you know I've cast all ties away and I couldn't have done it without you,"._

_"No it's... it's not that," Chris said, before finally registering what she'd said. "Really?"_

_Bianca nodded, taking his hands in her own. "You showed me that there's so much more to my gifts than the... evil that the Phoenix can do. And I would never have realised this without _you_. You saved me, Chris,"._

_He smiled shyly, his nervousness easing a little. "Well, you could do something for me,"._

_Bianca looked at him, curiously as he stood up, turned around and got down on one knee in front of her, pulling the box from his pocket and opening it._

_"You could say yes..." Chris half-whispered, watching Bianca's reaction. Her jaw dropped and for a split second, he thought she might burst into tears. He knew he was on the verge of it._

_"Chris..." she whispered, before taking a box from her own pocket. They laughed awkwardly, before Bianca fell into his arms, crying tears of joy._

_"Is that a yes then?" He looked into her eyes, the stars reflecting in them._

_"Yes," Bianca said simply, embracing him. _

_"I love you," Chris whispered in her ear._

_"I love you too," she had whispered back._

Chris bit his lip to stop the painful lump that lingered in his throat from turning into tears. Bianca was afraid of having kids in case they turned into warlocks or Phoenix. She'd told him this a few times, with a look of absolute fear in her eyes. There was a 50 chance that any children they had would have warlock or Phoenix powers and Bianca didn't want to risk it.

Now, Bianca was pregnant. Chris was beating himself up inside, the guilt making him feel sick and he cast his mind over everything they'd been through. He'd always been protective of Bianca, constantly worrying. She was just glad he cared so much. Chris however, feared for her more than he'd ever let on, and his mom, always afraid he'd lose them.

Breaking his train of thought, the familiar jingle of Henry orbing resounded nearby, and Chris looked onto the main platform to see the swirl of blue lights that was Henry jr. His cousin, dressed in the scrubs that he wore as a nurse at San Francisco General, lunchbox tucked neatly under his arm, looked up at Chris.

"Hey stranger," Henry said, perching on the edge of the platform, his feet dangling off the edge as he took the apple from his lunchbox. "You wanna come down and tell me what's up?"

Chris thought about it for a moment. "Would I pass up the oppurtunity to spend time with my cousin?"

Henry smiled for a moment as Chris lowered himself steadily onto the platform, seating himself on the edge next to his cousin.

"So, what's going on, hmm? Your body language is screaming, Chris," Henry looked at his feet and the traffic below.

"Relationship troubles, you know, argument... It's nothing, really," Chris insisted.

"So, that's why you're sat up here alone, moping and looking pretty sorry for yourself," As Henry said this, Chris recalled his mom saying that Henry reminded her of Prue. Bluntly sarcastic, but a good listener.

"It was just an argument," Chris said, waving his feet above the traffic carelessly.

"Which is why your stuff isn't at your place," Henry smiled, knowingly. "I have a spare room at my apartment, so if you need somewhere to stay, all you have to do is give me a call,".

Chris looked at him appreciatively. "Thanks, really... Enough about me... how are you?"

Henry took a thoughtful bite out of his apple. "Tired. Long shifts... patients vomiting all over the place... re-located four limbs this morning... you get the idea. Oh, and a really messy one this morning... this guy had a hole in his stomach and swore that he's been attacked by a minotaur."

They were both quiet for a moment, before they fell about laughing. "San Francisco... demon capital and crackpot capital of the west coast," Chris laughed.

"Yeah... you wanna go grab a beer tonight? I can honestly think of nothing better to do," Henry suggested.

"Sounds like a plan," Chris said, looking out over the bay.

"Yeah... I'll call you when I finish up at-" Henry stopped, his ears rung with Melinda and Laura's voices_. "Henry!"_

There was obviously a reason they hadn't called Chris.

"What is it?" Chris looked at Henry as he stood up.

"My Dutch charge," Henry lied. "So much for lunch hour,".

"I'll see you later?"

"You got it, Chris," Henry smiled as he orbed, leaving Chris sat next to an applecore.

--

Wyatt slurped noisily on his drink. He tapped the bonnet with his fingers. Flicked the aerial so that it made a strange pinging sound. He was bored and impatient, more impatient than anyone in California in the unbearable heat of the midday sun.

The mechanic rolled out from under the car and glared daggers at him. "Y'know, you're not the only one who's uncomfortable with this heat."

"Sorry, Grace," Wyatt apologised and genuinely meant it. "It's just I'm taking a break from being..." he looked around carefully, "magical".

"Really?" she looked at him as she stood up, her green-grey eyes sparkling in the sun.

"It's a little tiring, so just for once in the twenty seven years I've been on this planet, I want an uninterrupted break, not ruined by magic. I just want to get away from it all, just for a few weeks," he explained.

"I guess it's a point," Grace pulled her dark blue overalls down to her waist to reveal a bright orange t-shirt with a garage's name on it.

"I'm always picking up the magical mess all the time and I need a break. Which is why I've temporarily stripped myself of my powers," Wyatt said as they walked to the edge of the bank of grass and gazed at cars passing by. Grace had been calm until then. Out of all of the Charmed One's children, Paige's youngest was the most hot-headed.

"What?!" She looked at him in disbelief, red pyrokinetic sparks appearing around her. "What if we need you, Wy?"

"You'll be fine. It's just a few weeks," Wyatt smiled, handing her his bottle of water, which she accepted gratefully before tying her mousy brown hair up.

"What if one of us gets hurt? Really bad?" Grace asked, sitting on the grass. "Henry's the only one of us part-Whitelighters who can near enough heal and even then, he hasn't developed his power enough... he can only hide pain or heal minor injuries like... papercuts,".

"Pru or Chris should be able to find me," Wyatt explained, referring to Phoebe's youngest, the only one of Coop's daughters who had inherited his gifts of pulsing and sensing.

"What if they can't or they're not quick enough?" Grace was now deep in worry. Wyatt put a hand on her shoulder.

"You'll all be fine. I promise, ok?" He said, reassuring her.

"Alright. But I'm carrying extra potions until you get back," Grace told him, running her hands over the grass.

"You won't need them," Wyatt laughed, walking over to the Jeep and placing the key in the ignition, turning the engine successfully.

"I will anyway," Grace said, a stubborn smile on her features. "It works?"

Wyatt nodded. "Thanks,".

"No problem," Grace said as she rose to her feet, picking up her tools. She smiled at him for a moment before orbing. Wyatt watched the red pyrokinetic lights fade into the sky before he drove off.

--

_Shoooooooooooom._ The strange rush of sound that came with orbing faded from their ears and the room formed around them. Laura staggered uneasily, Henry holding her shoulders for a moment to steady her. He didn't need two unconscious girls in his room if his flatmates returned. He didn't think they'd believe they were his cousins.

"Sorry... my orbing technique's a little shaky." He explained apologetically.

"A little?" Laura looked at him.

"Alright... a lot," he said, grinning, before changing the subject swiftly. "Was that a minotaur?"

"Yeah... we think and- heal first, talk later," Melinda suddenly nodded at the unconscious Bianca who she was knelt beside, keeping her neck steady.

"Right," Henry knelt down placing his hands above Bianca, a calming blue glow appearing from his hands, while he closed his eyes in concentration. Being only one quarter Whitelighter had a few downsides. One of them being that his healing was not yet up to scratch with a standard Whitelighter and took a little longer and a lot more concentration.

For a few moments, a silence passed between them. It was standard when Wyatt, Henry Jr or Paige healed anyone unconscious. It was like something that was imprinted deep into all of their psyches. The holding of your breath, very deep in your chest, just in case the injured didn't wake up. Just in case there wasn't some magical answer to the problem. In case love wasn't enough.

There was a sudden sharp inhale from Bianca and her eyes flew open as she sat bolt-upright, breathing heavily.

"Mino- where'd he...?!"

"Whoa... hey..." Melinda put an arm around Bianca to support her.

"Mel...?" Bianca looked at her, confused, but calmer.

"It's ok," Melinda reassured her.

"Where's the minotaur?" Bianca stood up, swaying as she did so, and both Laura and Henry raised their hands in case she fell towards one of them.

"Henry orbed us out. It was too dangerous," Laura explained.

Bianca nodded slowly. "Sorry about that... I've had demons after me all morning. I needed to see if there was anything in the book on how to get rid of them or... what half of them actually were. I mean, I've seen a lot of demons and none of them were like what I'd seen before."

Melinda and Laura looked at eachother. "Could that have something to do with-?" Laura began.

"Is anything ever _not_ a coincidence in this family?" Melinda answered a question with a question, and smiled knowingly.

Bianca and Henry both stood and stared at them, lost. Laura caught their glances, and realised they had no idea about the charts.

"Well..." she began, sitting on the sofa, and the other three followed suit. "At the observatory, an anomaly has showed up on the charts above the Manor. It's never been there before, so I'm wondering what's going on."

"You think that the anomaly on the map might be connected to the strange demons and ancient Greek monsters that are currently hunting Bianca?" Henry said it aloud, as if to confirm it to himself. "What's the anomaly then?"

"On the readings, it's over three thousand degrees farenheit... and three thousand degrees below minus, all at the same time. And... none of it makes sense. The only other places something like this has come up is places like the pyramids, Stonehenge, Ayers Rock... you get the idea. Although I did look at older charts and..." Laura paused.

Henry looked as though he was going to explode. "What?"

"There's other times on record San Francisco has seen it, but no-one actually noticed because it wasn't so big. November the second, 1975, mom's birthday... February the second, 2003-"

"Wyatt's birthday," Mel interjected.

"And a few other times we should probably cross reference with the book, because I'm becoming more and more sure this is Nexus related." Laura had folded her arms and drummed her shoulder with her fingers in thought.

"Wasn't..." Henry paused for a moment. "I mean, I could be wrong, but wasn't the Nexus destroyed in 2006?"

"That was when The Charmed Ones fought Z... z... " Bianca searched for the word. "It begins with Z,".

"Zankou?" Melinda added.

"Yes!" Bianca said, relieved of the word that she couldn't find. "It was in my mother's Gr... Book."

Melinda noted Bianca almost slipped up, and gave her a knowing nod. Bianca and Mel were good friends and confidantes, as Chris often brought Bianca home before they'd got their own place. They'd sit and talk over coffee if the brothers were mixing a potion or doing Book Of Shadows research for whatever reason.

"So, are we in agreement that it is quite plausibly the Nexus?" Melinda stared at the floor in thought. The other three looked at her.

"The Nexus sounds like a possibility." Henry said quietly, begin to pace.

"I think we should look around, see what we can find out what's going on," Laura announced, decisively.

"That's probably the highest on the list, Lau," Henry said, pausing in his tracks for a moment.

"But we go in twos. Three of us couldn't take down that minotaur, let alone if we were to each go alone and be attacked by something." Melinda added, feeling the need for security.

"Mel's right... safety in numbers," Bianca noted, forming an athame in her hand.

"Err... Bianca, maybe not just yet... for you, I mean. I think there maybe something I didn't-" Henry stumbled on his words. "-Couldn't actually heal so I'd feel better if you got checked out at General".

"But what about the minotaur?" Bianca protested stubbornly.

"Catch up with us once you've been checked out, ok?" Melinda said.

"I'll go with you, in case anything happens on the way. Safety in numbers, especially if the minotaur's after you in particular," Laura suggested.

Bianca thought about it for a moment. "Alright. But as soon as I learn that I'm remotely fine, I am back with you guys."

"That's cool... and err... Henry?" Laura looked at her cousin, fluttering her eyelashes mockingly.

"Yes?" He sighed, knowing that she wanted something.

"Can I borrow your car? Mine's still at the Manor," Laura said simply.

_Phoebe's daughter, all the way. _Melinda thought to herself, chuckling.

Henry sighed and pulled his keys from his pocket. "Watch the paintwork," he grinned.

"Love you, 'ree" Laura laughed as she took the keys hanging from Henry's hand and led Bianca out the apartment door, closing it gently behind her.

"Typical Lau," Melinda laughed when they'd left.

"Without a doubt," Henry said, before notioning to take his hand. "Where to first?"


	5. After The End

**Chapter 5 - After The End**

_"Dad...!" he heard himself cry, weakly, like a child left alone... the strong arms of reassurance that carried him to a bed... everything's a blur, but it all makes sense at the same time.  
He sees Aunt Paige smiling at him, with tears in her eyes, holding his hand tightly. "You're going to be ok... Leo's coming back,"._

_"Aunt Paige..." he half-cried in pain, before steadying his emotions and physical feeling the best he could. "I'm really glad I got to meet you and to..." he coughed painfully. "...get to know you this time."_

_Paige thought her heart was being wrenched out by an evil hand, tearing her apart. "I'm very glad you came back, Chris,"._

_"Mom used to..." Chris tilted his head back in pain and breathed heavily, like something was ripping him away from existence itself. Paige felt his grip tighten on her hand, like he was trying to go against whichever force was trying to take him from reality. "Mom used to talk about you a lot... she said she fell apart after you died. When Wyatt..." he inhaled as slowly as possible, to keep talking, to tell Paige what he needed to tell her before it was too late. "...killed Aunt Phoebe, I think she lost the will to keep going with the g-greater good. Dad was never around, so she never got to talk to him... he was always off looking for Wyatt, convinced he could change him."_

_Chris shuffled within his own skin almost, slipping away, slowly but surely. "For a while it was just mom and me... in hiding... Dad would come by sometimes... but never stopping for long enough to see what was happening to mom."_

_Paige was getting a huge glimpse of the future, and she almost felt guilty that it was her that was hearing this. She swallowed the guilt, realising Chris didn't have long. "What was happening to Piper, Chris?"_

_"I was..." he was becoming more delirious. "I was fourteen and a half... We'd been moving around a lot, on the run from Wyatt... I used to hear mom cry, when she thought I was asleep. I'd lie awake, listening to her _cry._ Dad wasn't there at night... it was easier for him to move around undetected at night, so that's... that's what he did. He was never there. He couldn't even be there when..."_

_Chris let out an open sob, no longer caring about being embarassed, not caring that he was supposed to be a grown man. He cried openly and painfully, while Paige held him gently. After a moment, when Chris was calmer, she spoke gently._

_"You don't have to talk about it anymore," Paige suggested, watching his eyes roll as he became more lost to the riptide of reality._

_"No!" Chris said suddenly and urgently. "No... I have to tell you... so that it doesn't happen again..."_

_"Ok, ok..." Paige soothed, tears streaming from her own eyes._

_"Wyatt realised... that mom was still a powerful source of good..." Chris's eyes glazed with tears, he bit his lip and held them back. "And one day, he came for her. I..." Chris's tone changed to frantic. "I couldn't do anything to stop him, he had his demons hold me so that I had_ _to watch him kill her." Chris breathed heavily, tears streaming as he writhed in agony. _

_Paige didn't know what to say. She was too lost in all of it. The future... as it could be and may still be. "Chris..."_

_He was becoming more lost in his mind, but he continued. "When... when they finally left, Wyatt stood above me, quiet but then he told me that this was my fault and all possible futures would result in this... and then left me."_

_Paige shivered at the thought of Wyatt ever being capable of such things. _

_"I tried to heal her, and I screamed for Dad to come... I waited hours with mom... He never came..."_

_"He's coming this time," Paige said, grasping his hand._

_"He promised." Chris exhaled sharply, his figure tensing with pain. Whether physical or emotional Paige couldn't tell. "He always broke his promises"._

_There were voices outside and the two Witchlighters heard Leo speaking to Sheridan and Morris._

_"Not this time," Paige whispered, giving his hand a final grasp as Leo stepped in._

_"Chris," Leo's voice waivered, and Chris looked at him like all his hopes and dreams were in front of him._

_"Hey," his son replied, his voice dry with pain. Leo knelt down beside him, taking his hand and Chris gripped it._

_"Hey... I'm here now... You can hold on, okay?" Leo looked at Chris despairingly, trying to save Chris' face into his mind, while running his other hand through his son's hair gently. "Hold on... hold on. I'm here. You can hold on, okay? Don't give up, okay?"_

_Chris nodded and Paige watched, unaware if Leo had seen the spark in his son's eyes falter._

_"You either," Chris said, and to him just for a moment they were the two most important words he'd ever say. They were his last. His eyes closed heavily of their own free will, he was tired, so tired and as he free fell through reality itself he heard his fathers' pleas, somewhere far away. Chris fell further until-_

"Nooo!" Chris awoke with a jolt, the cold night air enveloping him. He was still on the Golden Gate Bridge where Henry had left him.

He blinked, trying to recall why he'd woken up shouting. A lucid dream of some sort, Chris felt like he wasn't awake, and stood up, shaking his arms to get the circulation flowing.

San Francisco was alive with nightlife. Chris knew that in the city, people would be flocking to the nightclubs, drinking themselves silly. He grinned to himself as he recalled one particular occasion at P3 when he, Wyatt and Henry had a good night out and found themselves laughing at anything and everything. Even when Henry walked into a lamp post and knocked himself out cold, they'd still been laughing. Very possibly something to do with the alcohol.

Something however was amiss in San Fran tonight. As Chris watched the city, a huge explosion from a building in the distance made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He argued with himself for a moment before deciding that he _was_ a Whitelighter and there was a good chance it was something demonic.

As he orbed above the city, he got a closer look at the streets. Chaos was the only word capable of describing what he saw. Energy balls and fire balls flew everywhere, innocents screamed and shouting filled the air. There were so many demons, swarming the streets like vermin. For a moment, he didn't know what to do, but he made a decision and landed on a rooftop, forming into solid matter, pulling his phone from his pocket.

--

Piper fell into a chair at the Manor, her feet aching after a long day of work. She'd been busier than usual as Melinda hadn't shown up. She'd had to put up with a tricky customer who wanted a dish Piper had never heard of. When Piper inquired where the particular dish was from, the customers had pointed downwards and Piper told him where to go in disgust. The customer had then launched an energy ball at her, and yelled "Hell, you witch! Not my pants!".

Piper froze the restaurant just before the energy ball could set anything on fire and prompty vanquished him, before grabbing a bucket to catch the energy ball and unfreezing the room. She thought she'd handled it quite well until she discovered her apron had caught part of the energy ball. As it began to burn she had flung it away from her by accident and it landed quite spectacularly on an old man's wig, melting it into his wine.

Needless to say, there were several complaints that night. It would've helped if they weren't understaffed. Wherever Melinda was, Piper began to get worried. She usually called if she happened to be staying out late, but she'd heard no word at all. Shuffling in the chair, she pulled herself to her feet and walked to the phone, picking it up and dialling Melinda's number. For a minute the phone rang and with time it rang, Piper felt a ball of a anxiety grow a little more in her stomach. When Melinda finally picked up, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hello?"

"Mel, hey," Piper must've sounded worried because Melinda picked up on it immediately.

"What's up?" She asked, a note of concern hanging on the notes in her voice.

"I was wondering what time you'd be home... you forgot to call earlier when you missed work... have you seen Chris?" Piper asked.

"Actually, I haven't... not since this morning and... wait. Did you just say you're at home?" Melinda was the one sounding more worried now.

"Yes... why?" Piper asked, becoming suspicious.

"Don't go anywhere." Melinda quipped suddenly. "Just wait there... Henry and I are coming to get you, ok? It's a long story,"

"What- why? What's-" Piper was cut-off. She looked at the receiver before her eyes drifted to the box, where a finger was placed on disconnect. Piper spun around and was thrown off her feet and into the clock, glass shattering and wood splintering. She landed on her side, groaning slightly as she got to her feet to face whatever demon had thrown her. But it was no demon.

"Hello, mom," the owner of the voice said cold, dark steely eyes glaring at her.

--

"What the -?" Melinda looked at her phone as she stood in the Magic School library with Henry Jr, Leo and Coop. She had sent Henry Jr to get her father and uncle out of instinct, figuring that they had more years of experience with unusual demons and the Nexus.

"What is it?" Leo asked, as Melinda stared at the phone with a look of shock and curiosity.

"Mom's just been cut off," Even as Melinda said it, Leo and Coop exchanged nervous glances.

Henry began pacing again as he did when he was thinking or happened to be extremely nervous and Coop folded his arms, a look of thought in his eyes. "Is this to do with the Nexus?"

"Possibly," Leo rolled the sleeves of his robes up. "I'm going to go back to the manor... check if Piper's alright,".

"Dad, wait... it's not safe-" Melinda protested.

"Exactly," Leo interjected. "Your mom could be in danger." The tone of Leo's voice had changed completely. He was scared and worried for his wife, and even after all these years of the constant fighting with demons, there was still nothing that scared him more than the thought of losing Piper or the kids.

"I'll go with you Leo, in case whatever it is happens to still be hanging around." Coop took charge of the situation. Because he was a cupid, it meant he had some empathic power. Right now, the knot from Leo's stomach was making him feel rather ill.

"Alright, let's go…" Leo was anxious to leave and held out his hand to Coop, but before Coop took it, he looked at Melinda and Henry.

"Don't go anywhere on your own until we figure out what's going on, ok?" He said, with a look of concern weighing heavy on his dark features.

"Got it, Uncle Coop," Henry said, placing a hand on Melinda's shoulder protectively.

Satisfied for the moment, Coop took Leo's hand and pulsed out with his brother-in-law. As soon as they'd gone, Melinda turned to Henry.

"Down to business then, 'ree." She took her phone from her bag and gestured to Henry to get his. "I'm going to call Chris, Wyatt and aunt Phoebe."

"Good point. I'll check-in with my sisters and give mom and dad the heads-up."

--

Piper was thrown viciously into a cage, the bars, so she was informed, were magic-proof and there was no way of getting out or in. But then they'd been in plenty of such cages that demons had said were magic proof and they'd escaped. The air was rank with decay and the stone floor was bloodstained. Piper shuddered, as she stood up to face the man who had thrown her in. Dirty blonde hair, dark eyes… he looked like her Wyatt, but somehow this just wasn't Wyatt. There was no emotion at all in these eyes. These were cold, demonic eyes and he was just as heavy handed as a demon. Already, Piper could feel a bruise forming just under her eye.

He glared back for a moment. "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing," Piper replied, mockingly. Hands ready in case he tried anything. Not that he could do anything without opening the cage right now.

He glared at her before walking off and Piper watched him as he walked.

"Where are you going? You're dead when I get out of here!" she yelled, but realised it was no use. Once his footsteps had gone, she looked around the cage, and went to lean against the bars. There was a loud shocking sound, rather like something wet being thrown in a frying pan, and she recoiled away from the bars in shock and pain and looked at her shoulder. A raw and messy open burn had appeared on her upper arm and she swore aloud several times as the air made it sting. Her

"Forgot to mention that." Wyatt's voice resounded from the dark somewhere. "The bars are also anti-witch."

"Anti-witch? How the hell did you touch them then?" Piper looked around in the dark, trying to work out where his voice was coming from.

"I'm not a witch."

"Yes, you are. Look at your parentage… unless you're not really Wyatt." Piper stated with a note of challenge in her voice, knowing exactly how to get her son to talk.

"On the contrary, mother… I am Wyatt and I am not a witch. Neither is Chris-"

"Don't be stupid." Piper instinctively refused to have one son place himself above the other. After meeting one future Chris with an inferiority complex who had come back to save Wyatt, she had been careful to make sure they were both equal.

"We're not witches… our parentage does not permit so. Male witches are only produced when the father is a witch or carries the witch gene… didn't you know that?" Wyatt asked mockingly, still not showing himself.

"You're a witch and Chris is a witch, and you know it. You have all of those powers because you-"

"-because I am twice-blessed." Wyatt interrupted. "Amazing what Excalibur can do for it's rightful owner, really."

"But Chris… Chris is telekinetic…"

"Nothing daddy dearest couldn't do when he was a Whitelighter." Wyatt added.

Piper was quiet for a moment. This Wyatt had a point. When had either of her sons displayed powers that _weren't _down to the fact they were both part Whitelighter or twice-blessed?

"What are you doing, Wyatt?" Piper said quietly after a few moments of thought.

"Finding out why I'm good in this future." He replied simply.

--

"Do you know what I hate?" Bianca said as the two of them walked down the corridor.

Laura looked at her companion, who now had stitches on her eyebrow. "What?"

"Hospitals." Bianca replied, matter-of-factly. "The smell... everything."

"And it wasn't like the doctor was the nicest looking of guys either," Laura added, as they came to the doors, before holding one of them open for Bianca.

"I thought martial arts was a good excuse." Bianca laughed, changing the subject as they stepped into the cool night air. Definitely a Gemini. "I don't think he believed you were my instructor though."

"Well, a lab coat isn't really training gear," Laura replied grinning. "And-"

Bianca had stopped dead in her tracks and Laura followed suit. The streets were a mess. People running in all directions, panicking hugely. An old woman ran past, shrieking something about the apocalypse, while a man who ran past them and into the hospital had a rather messy burn on his arm.

"What the hell?" Bianca just about managed to say as she pulled her coat around her shoulders.

"I was thinking something along the lines of a _Buffy_ convention, but hell is pretty close," Laura muttered, referring to some show that had gone off air more than thirty years ago, but it's fans were crazy.

"What do you think we should do?" Bianca asked, still looking around at the hordes of people milling this way and that in panic.

"Head to the Manor?" Laura suggested, now looking down the street where more people were coming from than elsewhere.

"Have you lost your mind, Laura? There was a minotaur there earlier," Bianca exclaimed, then looked at Laura's expression. "What?"

Laura's jaw hung low in disbelief, before she came back to reality. "I don't think the minotaur's at the Manor." She said quietly.

"What? Why?" Bianca looked in the direction Laura was looking in and saw it. Chasing people, throwing them into buildings like rag dolls, flipping cars out of the way like cardboard.

"Holy sh-DUCK!" Bianca pulled Laura down as a lamp post, launched like a javelin narrowly missed their heads.

"I think it's seen us!" Laura said as they scrambled to their feet and began to run the opposite way.

"That's odd. I think that too!" Bianca replied sarcastically, as they ran like no tomorrow, people slamming into them as they did so.

"What's a shiduck?" Laura asked stupidly as they ran. Bianca sighed but then wondered why they were running _into_ people as opposed to with them.

This was answered when several energy balls hit a building a little way in front of them and numerous demons ran from an adjoining road, laughing hysterically. Bianca formed an athame in each hand, and turned to Laura.

"I'm going for them!" she yelled, breaking into a run, suddenly proud to have the instincts of a Phoenix.

"No wait-!" Laura started but Bianca had gone too far ahead to hear her. "Dammit, Bianca!"

Laura weaved between people, running against the crowd as fast as she could, but this was proving tricky when you had people treading on your heels. Somewhere behind her, the footsteps of the minotaur were becoming louder. "Bianca!"

Bianca turned back and looked above the crowds in time to see Laura be thrown against a wall by the minotaur, before he advanced upon her and blinked with her.

"NO!" she yelled furiously, her Phoenix mark burning wildly. By this point she had brought too much attention to herself in running around with a knife in each hand and the demons were walking straight towards her.

With a deep breath, she turned to stare them in the eye, allowing her Phoenix instincts to take over.


End file.
